NOAA Research

The air as part of the total environment

What does the Air Resources Laboratory do for the nation?

The Air Resources Laboratory (ARL) studies processes influencing air quality and climate, and develops relevant models. In this research, the air is seen as a resource at risk, potentially affecting other parts of the total environment (including people). ARL emphasizes interpreting data and developing and applying technologies concerning climate and the transport, dispersion, transformation and removal of atmospheric trace gases and aerosols. ARL research is aligned with the three thematic areas of NOAA Research (weather and air quality, climate, and ecosystems), placing a growing focus on issues related to national security. The specific goal of ARL research is to improve and eventually institutionalize the prediction of air quality, plume dispersion, atmospheric deposition, and related variables. ARL operates with research divisions in Silver Spring, Maryland; Idaho Falls, Idaho; Research Triangle Park, North Carolina; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Recent Accomplishments

What's next for ARL?

Scientific challenges in the next five to ten years:

Research Partnerships

ARL works in partnership with many universities and university consortia. Principal among these are the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, and the NOAA Cooperative/Joint Institutes listed below. ARL also holds partnerships with other Federal agencies, including the EPA and the Departments of Energy, Homeland Security, and Defense.

Budget and Staff

The fiscal year 2006 enacted budget for the ARL budget lines totaled $5.0M. The fiscal year 2007 President's budget request for ARL is $5.1M. ARL has 43 permanent Federal employees.

ARL logoNOAA logo For more information, contact:

Dr. Steven S. Fine, Director
Air Resources Laboratory
1315 East West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Phone (301) 713-0684
http://www.arl.noaa.gov

May 21, 2007